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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26509015">Poppyfield</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/saellie/pseuds/saellie'>saellie</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Stray Kids (Band)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Small Town, Character Study, Coming of Age, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Character Death, M/M, Mentions of Underage Sex, Moving to the Countryside, Multi, Slow Burn, Underage Drinking, Underage Drug Use</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 02:48:35</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>14,232</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26509015</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/saellie/pseuds/saellie</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Minho had always thought his life was like a game of dominoes. All the things he has ever gone through and what he will go through are just like little black and white blocks standing in a line, waiting for their time to fall over. Waiting for something in the beginning of the string to start the chain.</p><p> </p><p>Grandma dying had been that something to start a new wave of blocks coming crashing down. Meeting Jisung had been just one of those blocks somewhere in the middle that had fallen over, seemingly just as insignificant as every other block. Little did Minho know that it would be the block that would change the entire game.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Han Jisung | Han/Lee Minho | Lee Know</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>41</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Cat Carriers and Lego Zombies</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The car radio was blasting the top 10 hits of the month when the car drove off from the gas station. The pearls hanging loose from the rearview mirror jiggled against the miniature buddha that was glued on top of the radio. The AC was turned on to the max and it's humming blended into the upbeat pop song. It was hot outside. The sun was mercilessly burning against the surface of the road ahead. Minho was sure that the tarmac was hot enough to fry an egg.</p><p> </p><p>Grandma had died a month ago. </p><p> </p><p>The car drove into a bend and Minho protected the boxes next to him on the backseat with his arm. They had been stacked there like the swaying tower of Pisa and Minho was constantly fearing that the box full of books would end up on top of his head in a way or another. Mom was quiet. Usually she would sing along the radio or at least hum, but today she was driving in silence.</p><p> </p><p>A week ago Mom had told him they were going to move. She had quit her job, given the landlord a notice and bought a car. All this before saying anything to Minho. She had made the decision in one night, all alone shitface drunk while mourning over the death of her mother. At first Minho was mad. More than he had ever been. He knew that Mom had tendencies to be very emotional, reckless and irresponsible but this was just too much. </p><p> </p><p>Mom had been broken down after grandma's death. She took days off from work and just laid home, eating nothing and drinking away every drop of alcohol she could find. Eventually she catched a flu and had to stay in bed for a week straight. She didn't make it to the funeral because of that. It broke her even more. Minho was worried. He was afraid to leave her alone, unsure what could possibly happen if he did.</p><p> </p><p>Minho sighed and opened his phone. No messages. No calls. 223 unopened snaps he didn't plan on ever opening. Useless crap, Minho thought and put the device back into his pocket. He never really used it for anything else than playing games and to receive calls from Mom. He sighed again. His airpods had run out of battery half an hour ago and he didn't feel like just staring at his phone, so gazing at the scenery was what he was left with. </p><p> </p><p>He had texted to the band group chat that he would be moving away and that they’d need a new bassist. They had been sad, of course. They promised to keep in touch, of course. But Minho knew none of that was actually going to happen. They weren’t close like that. They just… went to the same school, formed a band together and sometimes hung out at the skatepark. Nothing more, nothing less.</p><p> </p><p>They drove over a bridge. The water was shimmering under the sun. Someone was sailing on a yacht in the distance. Minho sighed and ran his fingers over the bass case next to him. He remembered how just in June he had thought that he had gotten everything he wanted in life. Now it all seemed so shallow and matterless.</p><p> </p><p>Minho was all alone.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The house in itself wasn't the problem. Minho didn't mind the strawberry patterned curtains in every single room of the house. Or the walls covered by a lace floral wallpaper. Or the creaky starway that hadn't been in much use since everything grandma needed to live was downstairs.</p><p> </p><p>It was the smell that bothered Minho. The smell of an old lady. And cat pee. It was the fact that Minho was at the moment standing at the exact spot grandma's body had been found four weeks ago. In the middle of the kitchen, right in front of the oven. Minho and grandma had never been that close or never even really met, but something about just standing there made him feel unwell.</p><p> </p><p>The house had two floors and an attic. It was made out of wood and painted light blue. All the details like the porch, window frames, the front door, chutes and the balcony were painted white. The paint had started to chip. It had been many years since anyone even thought of repainting it. The grass on the yard was also uncut. No one had thought of cutting it while preparing the funeral. However digging out the mower was the first thing uncle did when he arrived at the house half an hour later than them with his girlfriend.</p><p> </p><p>There was a garden in the backyard. It had been the only well kept area outside of the house. Grandma had grown tulips, roses, potatoes and green onions. She also had two apple trees and three redcurrant bushes. Mom said that grandma had planted the apple trees by herself when she and grandpa had bought this house in the 70s.</p><p> </p><p>The ruins of a henhouse were found in the corner of the backyard. Mom told grandma had wished to adopt a few chickens there one day, even though the henhouse was about to come crashing down at any second now. She hadn't dared to get rid of it. It had always stood there.</p><p> </p><p>Minho’s room was in the very end of the upstairs hallway. It had been Mom’s eldest brother's room almost thirty years ago. There was a window, a bed, a big mahogany closet and a desk with cravings on it. Minho hadn’t taken many things with him from the city. He didn't really have anything valuable apart from his base, laptop and skateboards. He had to leave his Monster can collection behind, Mom had said they did not fit in the car. Minho was sad about that, he had exactly 103 cans and the towers almost covered a whole wall in his room.</p><p> </p><p>The window faced the front yard. Uncle was carrying out grandma's old light green couch. Mom had bought their bright red one from the city. She had bought it brand new and it was the objectification of comfortableness. It didn't exactly fit the rest of the interior but Minho didn't mind.</p><p> </p><p>The mahogany closet had seen better days. On the right side door had most likely been a poster for a couple of decades, and there was a lighter brown square imprinted onto the surface of the varnished wood. Minho threw the bundles full of clothing in front of the closet, he’d deal with them later.</p><p> </p><p>He sighed. He had lost the count of how many times he had sighed today. The mattress of the bed was shabby. He could feel the suspensions clearly against his back. This was going to be his life from now on.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Grandma had had three cats. That's why the whole place smells like cat pee. There were still huge bags full of cat dry food and catsand on the cabinets of the kitchen. The wet food on the counter was apparently still usable, according to uncle's girlfriend. </p><p> </p><p>Minho likes cats, he had always wanted one. His mom however thought that their apartment back in the city had been too small to house such a wild animal as a cat so he had never gotten one. Minho didn't understand mom's point back then. His friends from school lived in even smaller apartments but still had pets. </p><p> </p><p>The neighbours across the street had taken the cats in after the news had broken out. The neighbours were apparently in a close relationship with grandma and knew mom and uncles well. Sort of. They had also taken a big part in the funeral arrangements since none of grandma's children lived anywhere nearby. Mom was very thankful for them.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>At the moment Minho was walking across the front yard of grandma’s house - or his house, from now on - to go fetch the cats. Mom, uncle and uncle’s girlfriend were unloading uncle’s white van where most of the stuff mom wanted to spare were. Minho had offered his help after carrying all of his boxes upstairs but Mom had shooed him away and told him to get the cats and thank the neighbours. Generously. That's what mom had said. Minho didn't know how to thank people generously. Ninety degree bow? That would just make things awkward.</p><p> </p><p>He crossed the road. The surface of the road was rocky and muddy, no tarmac in sight. He couldn’t skate here. Minho made a sulky face, another hobby destroyed. </p><p> </p><p>He had to walk a bit to the right on the roadside to get to the white wooden gates that lead to the farm. There was a bigger, two door gate, and a smaller gate next to it. The door of the smaller gate was wide open and moving a little in the wind. Minho furrowed his eyebrows and decided to just walk in.</p><p> </p><p>There were three cars in the front of a large white wooden house and one muddy white truck. The white house seemed to be the swelling house. On the left was a big red building that looked like a garage of some sort. The barn was further away, and a shiny blue tractor was posing right in front of it.</p><p> </p><p>If Barbie was a cowgirl, this would be the Dreamhouse, Minho thought. This place was like straight out of a movie. The faint cackling of the chickens and occasional loud moo’s from the barn sounded almost like a background soundtrack. The smell of shit wasn't even as bad as Minho had expected.</p><p> </p><p>Minho knocked on the front door of the white building. There was a bright pink bushy flower sitting on the table next to the door. It smelled nice. He couldn't hear any sounds coming from inside, was anyone home? Judging by the cars and the time of the day you would expect there was at least someone home. </p><p> </p><p>Minho didn't have time to start speculating further until the door opened and a young, maybe fourteen year old, girl was staring right up at him. She had messy short hair, heavy bangs and a red jumper with colourful paint stains on it. Minho wasn't sure if this was a country girl thing or a preteen thing.</p><p> </p><p>“Jihae! Who is it!” a woman's yell came from somewhere inside the house. A warm blast of air came from inside. A messy smell, a mixture of just baked bread, mud and all-purpose cleaner filled Minho’s nostrils.</p><p> </p><p>“I don't know! Some weird guy” the girl yelled back while giving Minho a look from head to toe and left the door to go back to do whatever she was doing. Minho just stood there, dumbfounded.</p><p> </p><p>The woman, most likely the mother, came running from the deep insides of the house. She had a scared look on her face, but it melted into a smile after seeing that Minho was indeed not a child predator but a lanky 17-year old kid.</p><p> </p><p>“Hello dear, how can I help you?” the woman asked, resting her hand on the doorframe. She had long dark brown hair on a bun on top of her head, a green top and a pair of jean shorts. At first Minho thought she was in her early twenties or so but now after taking a closer look she must be at least fourty. She had a really motherly warm smile. Minho liked her.</p><p> </p><p>“Oh yeah I'm uh, Yunjin’s son? I'm here to pick up the cats” recognition filled the woman's eyes and she laughed a bit: “I knew I had seen you somewhere! You look so different from the pictures your grandma showed me. I thought you were here for Jisung and oh lord was I confused!”</p><p> </p><p>She walked into the house, letting Minho enter: “How come you guys are already here? Your mom told me you’d be here in the end of the month”</p><p> </p><p>“That's what she told me too,” Minho smiled politely.</p><p> </p><p>The hall had a high ceiling. The floor was covered by a brown carpet, but the dark red tales shone under it in the corners of the space. The staircase was right in front of the door, attached onto the wall. It was made out of dark wood and the pillars were engraved full of liana-like flowers. The walls were creamy white and full of framed pictures and drawings. Right next to where Minho stood was an eight storey shoe holder stacked full of different size and styled shoes. There were also shoes and slippers thrown around on the floor. It was almost like a minefield - Minho didn’t know where to step.</p><p> </p><p>The woman laughed again: “You and your mother look so much alike! None of my kids look even a bit like me”</p><p> </p><p>Minho chuckled a bit and took his shoes off. The woman motioned towards the basket full of slippers and Minho took a pair.</p><p> </p><p>“That's a shame” he said with a smile.</p><p> </p><p>The woman gave him a slight pat on his shoulder: “Well well aren't you a smooth one”</p><p> </p><p>There was a wooden double door on the wall to his right, The doors were both slightly open, but they opened towards the hall, so Minho couldn't see what was on the other side. Right in front of him, behind the staircase was an open kitchen and dining area. From the hall Minho could see the big windows in the back of the kitchen and the view to the backyard.</p><p> </p><p>“Oh honey I'm so sorry! I haven't even introduced myself” the woman turned around on her heels and offered her hand to Minho: “Minhee Han but you can call me just Minhee”</p><p> </p><p>“Minho,” Minho smiled and shook her warm hand, “Lee Minho”</p><p> </p><p>She then told Minho she had no idea where the cats were. They hadn’t yet catched them because they lived in the reality where Minho and his mom were supposed to arrive in the last week of August. Minho said it was fine and he could just come by tomorrow, but Minhee sternly refused and promised he’d get the cats.</p><p> </p><p>“They’re all indoor cats anyways,” she explained, “we’ll get them in no time”</p><p> </p><p>Then Minhee disappeared behind the double doors. Minho just nodded and awkwardly shifted his weight from leg to another, was he supposed to stand here and wait? Or follow her? Offer help?</p><p> </p><p>“Mom! Mom! Where are the car keys! I'm late from work” a blonde girl came running down the stairs. She had a green McDonald’s uniform on and a pale look of fear on her face. When her eyes met Minho’s she froze in the middle of the stairs.</p><p> </p><p>“Honda or Bumblebee?” Minhee yelled from what Minho assumed to be the living room or something like that. Minho could hear game sounds coming from the room, laser gun pew pews and cheers of victory.</p><p> </p><p>The blonde girl took her eyes off from Minho and walked down the rest of the stairs: “Bumblebee!”</p><p> </p><p>Minho assumed Bumblebee was the yellow car in front of the house. He had paid extra attention to the cars while walking across the yard because the cars formed a traffic light. A red bigger car (probably the Honda), the yellow Bumblebee one and a green Peugeot. Minho had thought it was funny, they had even been in the correct order.</p><p> </p><p>“They are in my purse! In the toffee one” the blonde walked past Minho into the kitchen area Minho was able to see quite well. The kitchen was large and heavily earth toned. The dining table was long and easily fit at least twelve people. There were kettles on the stove and the oven was turned on. Was Minhee cooking?</p><p> </p><p>“Jihan! You little scrawny motherfucker get back here” A yell came from upstairs. Minho widened his eyes a little, “These are my favourite fucking jeans!”</p><p> </p><p>Minhee hurriedly walked from the living room with a plastic bag full of… cereal? Raisins? No… cat treats. “Jisung! Language!” she yelled loudly and shot an apologetic smile to Minho.</p><p> </p><p>The girl who had opened the door - Jihan - ran down the stairs while laughing loudly and almost tripping on one of the shoes. Minhee scolded her from running inside but the girl quickly disappeared into the living room. Loud rumbling came from upstairs. This Jisung seemed rather upset. What in the world had Jihan done to the jeans? It remains a mystery. Minho couldn't help but smile. What a lively house.</p><p> </p><p>“Dear don't just stand there, go sit at the table. I'll give you something to drink” Minhee said as she walked past Minho to the kitchen.</p><p> </p><p>A sound of a chair tripping over echoed in the hall and the blonde girl came running from the kitchen: “Bye Mama! I'll be back before midnight”</p><p> </p><p>“Wait, Jimin!” Minhee yelled after her, “this is Minho, Uni’s grandson. Minho this is Jimin, my daughter”</p><p> </p><p>Minho tried to smile politely. Jimin was breaking a sweat as she tried to put on her shoes: “Hi Minho! Sorry but I'm in a serious hurry right now!”</p><p> </p><p>Minhee sighed and went to stir whatever was on the stove. Minho thought about the cats who were supposed to be catched. By who? Minho didn't know. When? Minho didn’t know that either. Slowly he made his way towards the dining table and urged down the raising hunger inside his stomach. Whatever it was in the kettle it smelled good.</p><p> </p><p>There was another double door. It was hidden behind the corner of the hall so it could only be seen from the kitchen. The doors were closed shut. Minho thought about asking where the doors lead but joyful victorious screaming from the living room stopped him. Loud stomping of multiple pairs of feet against the floor. Then two small boys ran into the kitchen with a pastel blue cat carrier: “Mama! We caught Soonie!” </p><p> </p><p>Minho felt sympathy for the mourning cat. It was spun around like a jojo in that carrier. The boys abandoned the cat in the middle of the floor and ran back into the living room.</p><p> </p><p>“Jihan is trying to catch Dori!” the taller one yelled. “She’s hiding behind the washing machine!” the smaller continued.</p><p> </p><p>Oh lord, Minho thought. He could imagine the distress of the cat hiding behind the washing machine as three pairs of hands were trying to grab it. Kids are scary.</p><p> </p><p>Minhee just laughed and turned off the stove: “Those were Jiho and Jiwoo. Jihan and Jiho are twins. Jiwoo is our youngest. I finally got them something else to do than that damned playstation. Cat hunting is a much better sport than killing lego aliens”</p><p> </p><p>Minho laughed in response. How many kids did she even have? So far Minho knows of five. All starting with Ji. It was funny to Minho. Back in the city few of his friends' families used the same first syllable system, but there were at most three kids. Naming five kids takes imagination.</p><p> </p><p>“Do you want water? Perhaps raspberry juice? We don't have any tea ready” Minhee leaned against the kitchen island and grabbed a green grape from a light pink glass bowl placed on it.</p><p> </p><p>“Oh uh,” don't decline, it's rude, “water is fine, thank you”</p><p> </p><p>She opened the cabinet on top of the sink and took a glass, filled it with water and walked it over to Minho. The cabinets were all a shade of dark emerald green, at first minho had thought they were black, but now under the kitchen lights he was able to tell. The countertops were wooden and shiny, filled with all kinds of baskets and bowls full of snacks and fruits.</p><p> </p><p>Minhee took the pink bowl into her hand and made her way towards Minho: “How are you liking it here so far?” She asked, sitting down in front of him.</p><p> </p><p>“It’s nice. I haven't been here longer than three hours though” Minho pointed out. Minhee offered him a grape.</p><p> </p><p>“First impressions are the most important,” Minhee smiled, putting another grape into her mouth, “How old were you again, Minho?”</p><p> </p><p>“Turning seventeen in a couple of months” Minho took a sip of his water. He saw the trio running across the hall and up the stairs, talking loudly while at it.</p><p> </p><p>“You’re the same age as Changbin then! His birthday was just last week. Changbin lives down the road, at the stables. He has been best friends with Jisung since diapers” Loud yelling came from somewhere again. Hunting the cat upstairs seemingly turned out to be a success. </p><p> </p><p>“I think you will get along just perfectly with the boys,” Minho smiled. He hoped so. This place seemed so much different from the city. The air, the scenery, the people. Even the way people talked! Sudden excitement filled Minho’s stomach. Maybe moving in here wasn't that bad after all. Maybe all this will cancel out the fact that he lives now in the house his grandma died in. Just maybe. </p><p> </p><p>“What if you and your mom come over for dinner? I think we have enough food to cover a few visitors” Minhee suggested.</p><p> </p><p>Minho smiled. He wanted to say yes but uncle and uncle's girlfriend were ordering pizza just before Minho left. He also wasn't sure if he’d be comfortable eating here. The kids were stressing him out.</p><p> </p><p>“You can decline,” Minhee assured after noticing Minho’s puzzled face.</p><p> </p><p>“Sorry, we already have… other dinner plans” Minho tried to sound polite. It might’ve sounded a bit like he was lying. Fuck. Minhee didn't look bothered. Thank god. She just grabbed another grape and shivered, laughing at how their AC was too good at keeping the house cool.</p><p> </p><p>“Mama! We caught ‘em all!” Jihan came into the kitchen, the two boys following her, both of them carrying a carrier.</p><p> </p><p>“Good job! You guys were so fast!” Minhee complimented the kids and helped the youngest boy to put the carrier down.</p><p> </p><p>Minho drank the last of his water and stood up. It was his cue to leave. The family was about to start dining and he didn't want to disturb that. Not after Minhee had been so kind to him.</p><p> </p><p>“Jisung!” Minhee yelled next to the stairway, “Come down! Now!”</p><p> </p><p>Minho squatted next to the carriers and said hi to the cats. He hadn’t seen them before. Grandma had gotten them in the past two years. Minho hadn’t seen her since he was ten. The orange one was Soonie, probably. He jiggled his finger through the door of the carrier and patted the orange kitty. It didn't seem shy or reserved at all. But how was he going to carry all the three carriers home? Alone? Not to even mention that these cats seemed chubby. Minho was not a muscle man of any sort. Did he need to take two and then come back for the third? He couldn't ask Minhee or the kids to help, it was about their dinner time.</p><p> </p><p>“Minho! Jisung will help you carry the cats,” Minhee said behind Minho’s back, “you two should be quick though! The cats hate being in those boxes”</p><p> </p><p>Of course Minhee had thought about it. Was there anything she wouldn't notice? Minho turned around on his heels. </p><p> </p><p>There was a boy. He was blonde too, like his sister Minho had encountered before. They both were most likely bleach blondes, unless there was some sort of a wild gene mutation running in the family. His black baggy ripped jeans had some kind of a pink substance on them. Minho recalled seeing the same thing on Jihan’s red jumper. That must've been the reason for the conflict earlier. Jisung had a surprised look on his face, as if he hadn’t expected Minho to be squatting there. Or rather as if he couldn’t believe Minho was there. Weird. Minho flashed him a smile and stood up.</p><p> </p><p>Without missing a beat Minho grabbed the pastel blue and white carriers and walked towards the hall. Jisung stumbled a bit, still surprised about the sudden task his mother had given him out of the blue, but got a hold of the pink carrier.</p><p> </p><p>“But mama, Changbin is here in a sec!” He whispered yelled to his mom as he passed her.</p><p> </p><p>Minhee snorted, “You said you’d stay over for dinner? Little rascal”</p><p> </p><p>“Change of plans!” Jisung shrugged, slipping a pair of slippers on.</p><p> </p><p>“I think Changbin can wait a couple of minutes, it's not like the world is ending” Minhee stated before walking back into the kitchen.</p><p> </p><p>Jisung sighed before turning to face Minho, who was patiently waiting with the two carriers. Jisung gave him a hurried awkward smile and opened the door for him.</p><p> </p><p>“What was your name again?” Jisung asked as he closed the door behind him.</p><p> </p><p>“Minho”</p><p> </p><p>“Oh yeah, right,” Jisung stomped after Minho, “Can't believe i forgot. Uni used to talk about you a lot”</p><p> </p><p>“...Really?” Minho said, confusion loud in his voice.</p><p> </p><p>“Yeah. Sometimes when me and Changbin went over she’d show us pictures of you from Facebook” </p><p> </p><p>Soonie moured in her carrier. Grandma… Was interested in me? She was… on Facebook? Sudden wave of guilt splashed over Minho. He really knew nothing about her. She knew at least… something. Gosh, Minho felt like crying again. This was not the moment.</p><p> </p><p>“Sorry!” Jisung winced after taking a look at Minho's face, “Was it too soon? I'm so sorry I didn't mean to. Oh god I should've thought twice, damn i'm an idiot. I'm so sorry”</p><p> </p><p>Minho smiled at Jisung’s hurried bumbling: “No, it's okay”</p><p> </p><p>A short awkward silence fell in between them as they reached the gate. Jisung didn't know what to say and neither did Minho. Just say something! he yelled at himself.</p><p> </p><p>“I didn't-”</p><p> </p><p>“So how-”</p><p> </p><p>They both turned their heads at the same time.</p><p> </p><p>“You can-”</p><p> </p><p>“Go a-”</p><p> </p><p>They both smiled and chuckled a bit out of embarrassment. Jisung motioned Minho to go first.</p><p> </p><p>“I didn't know you were visiting her”</p><p> </p><p>“Oh,” Jisung smiled faintly, “she used to always have something sweet to give to us. Like ice cream or cupcakes. Sometimes she even gave us some candy or some coins. She sometimes lent my older sisters some books they never returned, but she never asked about them either”</p><p> </p><p>They walked into the front yard of Minho’s house. Grandma's house. “It's so hard to believe she's gone” Jisung said quietly, eyeing the house, “I can't even imagine how hard it must’ve been for you guys”</p><p> </p><p>I didn't even know her. “It's okay”</p><p> </p><p>The white van was standing abandoned in the yard and the lights inside were turned on. The evening was darkening. Sky was still light blue, but the sun already touched the treeline, making the shadows blend into the dark gray ground.</p><p> </p><p>Jisung and Minho walked to the front door in silence. It wasn't awkward. It was expecting. Expecting something to happen, something to talk about. Minho awkwardly stood in front of the front door after realizing he didn't have the keys yet. Jisung chuckled lightheartedly as Minho knocked on the door. Soonie was mourning again.</p><p> </p><p>Minho’s mom opened the door, a can of beer on her hand. She visibly got surprised a little when she saw Minho on the front porch: “Well you young sir are not the delivery guy I was expecting”</p><p> </p><p>Uncle and uncle’s girlfriend joined her laughter inside. Minho tried to laugh too. She was most likely about to ask if Minho wanted a beer too before noticing Jisung and reforming her mouth: “Oh, Jisung! Hi there, come inside you two… five actually” She laughed again pointing at the carriers.</p><p> </p><p>Minho tried to land the carriers on the floor as softly as possible. Uncle and uncle’s girlfriend were sitting on the couch, watching TV and drinking beer. They said hi to Jisung too before directing their attention back to the TV.</p><p> </p><p>“I'm sorry it's a bit of a chaos here still,” mom said to Jisung, eyeing the unopened boxes around the open kitchen/dining/living room space, “It's been a hectic day I would say”</p><p> </p><p>Jisung smiled understandingly as a response.</p><p> </p><p>“Yunjin! The commercials ended!” Uncle yelled from the living room. Mom jumped excitedly and smiled at Jisung and Minho before running back into the sofa. Minho sighed, walking back to the front door to send Jisung off.</p><p> </p><p>“The whole place looks completely different already,” Jisung muttered, “it's the… vibe. The vibe is different”</p><p> </p><p>“Change of a sofa makes a huge difference” Minho joked as he opened the door for Jisung.</p><p> </p><p>“True. Oh right I forgot to ask,” Jisung gasped as he slipped his feet back into his shoes, “how old were you again? I swear someone mentioned about it in the past few weeks but i just don't remeber”</p><p> </p><p>“Turning seventeen in a couple of months” Apple really doesn't fall far from the tree.</p><p> </p><p>“Oh really? I thought you were like… twenty” Jisung’s eyes largened.</p><p> </p><p>“...Thanks?” This was the first time anyone had ever told him that he looked older than his actual age.</p><p> </p><p>Jisungs' explanation was interrupted by a loud ringing of a wheel clock not too far away.</p><p> </p><p>“YA! Jisung Han!”</p><p> </p><p>There was a boy, sitting on a bike on Minho’s driveway. Minho assumed that it must be the famous Changbin whose birthday had been just last week. Minho noted that he had a strangely high pitched voice.</p><p> </p><p>“I'm coming!” Jisung yelled back across the yard.</p><p> </p><p>“Are you two biking somewhere?” Minho questioned, looking at Changbins baby blue womens city bike. He had a brown bike basket attached on top of the front wheel. There was a plastic bag filled with something stuffed in the basket.</p><p> </p><p>“Oh yeah,” Jisung turned back to face Minho, “It's Friday. We’re going to the lake. It's like… School starts Monday, so everyone is, like, gathering at the beach. You know?”</p><p> </p><p>A party. Minho had been to several different gatherings back in the city. He had bad and good experiences. Minho theorised that the plastic bag Changbin had in his basket was most likely filled with drinks.</p><p> </p><p>“Do you… maybe want to come?” Jisung asked shyly, fixing the hood on his head.</p><p> </p><p>Yes. No. I should. I can't. I want to. No I don't. </p><p> </p><p>“Minho! Close the door! Cold air is coming inside” Mom yelled from the couch.</p><p> </p><p>“It's twenty degrees outside!” Minho yelled back and rolled his eyes. He looked inside for a split second, eyes noticing the empty cans on the sofa table. There were at least six. Uncle had drunk a lot, it was obvious. Fucking hell, it was just six pm.</p><p> </p><p>Minho sighed and shifted his gaze to his feet and from there back to Jisung: “sorry Jisung, I don't think I can come. With the pizza coming and everything”</p><p> </p><p>For a second something flashed in Jisungs eyes. Minho didn't know what. He hoped Jisng didn't think anything weird. He hated it when people thought about weird things about him. He glued the corners of his mouth up and Jisung mirrored the gesture.</p><p> </p><p>“Well, school starts on Monday. We’ll see at the bus stop then” Jisung said lightly and waved as he walked away backwards. </p><p> </p><p>Minho waved back and closed the door.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The bass case was laying against the desk in his room. There was no lamp in the ceiling yet - it was most likely still carefully packed in wrapping paper somewhere in the mountains of boxes alongside the walls of the upstairs hallway. The only source of light Minho had to navigate in his room with was the light that illuminated through the window. It was a bit cold. Minho was only wearing a towel wrapped around his hips.</p><p> </p><p>He sat on the creaky bed and took his phone from the floor where he had left it. 11:44pm said the lock screen. Minho sighed, once again, and dropped the phone next to him on the bed. His mom had put sheets and bedding on the bed at some point of the day. The floral patterned blanket cover smelled like laundry digertant. Grandma had probably slept in these. Minho couldn't stop thinking about her. Why was it only after her death Minho recognized her existence? Or… past existence.</p><p>He wondered what Jisung and Changbin were doing. What were parties like in the countryside? In the city Minho would just take the subway to the City Centre and walk to the Centre Park where most of the youth of the city came to drink every Friday. Then he’d get wasted, bum a couple of cigarettes from older people he had never met before even though he swore to quit last year, add other drunk teens who thought he was hot on Snapchat, then either throw up or decide he was done and then take the subway back home.</p><p> </p><p>On rare occasions he’d go to a house party of some classmate or friend of a friend. He didn't really like house parties, people got way too wasted in them. What was it like in the countryside when distances were huge? Google Maps had informed Minho that biking from this house to his new school would take forty minutes. Most of the kids probably lived in town. Where even was this lake? Minho would not even try to ride a bike for half an hour after drinking three long drinks.</p><p> </p><p>Minho was thinking it too deeply. Wasn't youth about literally just… doing stupid shit while wasted? Coming home at three in the morning and falling asleep in the shower and possibly drowning?</p><p> </p><p>It had been too long since Minho even had the energy to leave his room. He was becoming old. He didn't even want to get shitfaced anymore. He just… wanted to play his bass and slow dance to Vlad Holiday. That was his source of happiness.</p><p> </p><p>How would Minhee even react if her son came home drunk? She would be disappointed. Just the thought of disappointing her made Minho feel bad. Minho’s mom didn't really give a damn. If Minho was home before she had to leave for her night shift and didn't get arrested she let Minho do whatever he wanted. </p><p> </p><p>Minho unlocked his phone. 0:05am. Maybe he should just go to sleep.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Monday morning came painfully soon. The weekend had passed by in a blink of an eye. Minho hadn't left his room for no other reason than eating, feeding the cats, using the bathroom, cleaning the litter boxes and carrying the boxes in the hallway in and out his room. He had been organizing. Personalizing the space he was doomed to live in for the next year or so.</p><p> </p><p>He realized how much he actually missed his Monster cans and Monster in itself. He drank his last doze on Friday and mom forgot to bring him more when she went to the store on Saturday. Minho was going through some serious withdrawal symptoms.</p><p> </p><p>“Minho gas isn't free! I'm not driving back to the town just to buy you some stupid energy drinks” Mom had piped after Minho had pleaded her to go back. “If it's so important why don't you go yourself? You could get some movement for once instead of rotting away in your room!</p><p> </p><p>Mom had a point but it still made Minho angry that she’d choose her cigarettes over paying Minho’s monthly allowance anyday anytime and talked down on his energy drinks like that.</p><p> </p><p>So, instead of the sweet taste of Monster Ultra White he drowned two cups of black coffee while eating breakfast. Mom had gotten up early just to make him some french toast, wish him good luck and make sure he knew where the bus stop was. She had gotten a job from the hospital in town as a nurse and she was working night shifts only two days a week. Hurray!</p><p> </p><p>Minho was stressfully tying his shoelaces. He didn't actually know where the bus stop was. He had only gotten Mom’s instructions from when she was a kid and had walked from here to there every morning at 7:10am just like Minho did now. Minho hoped he would bump into other kids going the same way and could just follow after them. Maybe he’d even see Jisung and Changbin.</p><p> </p><p>Mom had been a bit teary eyed as she stood on the front porch and waved Minho off. She was probably thinking about how she was living grandma’s life all over again. Minho sighed and let her do her dramatics without any unnecessary remarks. He had to be the more emphatic one in this house, or there would be no empathy at all.</p><p> </p><p>Just as he got to the end of the driveway he saw Changbin. He was standing in front of the gates of the farm in all black gear, looking down at his phone. When Minho said all black, he meant all black. The only thing not black in the guy's outfit were the ehite lines in his shoes and the red details of his backpack. Jisung hadn’t probably come outside yet. Should he go talk to Changbin? They were the same age. They both knew Jisung. Well, Changbin knew him from early childhood, Minho from yesterday. There was a difference.</p><p> </p><p>“Hey! Old Fart!” </p><p> </p><p>A familiar voice shook Minho from his thoughts. Jihan was walking on the other side of the road with her brothers, showing her tongue to Minho. The boys behind her were laughing at the nickname. Minho smiled wide and flipped the little girl off. Fuck the kids.</p><p> </p><p>Instead of them he focused his eyes on Jisung and Changbin who were opening the bigger white gate for Bumblebee. He walked across the street before the car drew off the driveway. The girl behind the wheel pressed the car horn as a thank you and waved as she drove off. Minho didn't recognize her. Was she… also a sibling of Jisungs?</p><p> </p><p>“Oh, Minho! Good morning” Jisung’s voice reached Minho’s side, “were you waiting? I didn't see you”</p><p> </p><p>“Nah, don't worry about it” Minho scratched the back of his neck, “I actually have no idea where to stop is”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The stop was nothing like Minho had expected. He thought it would look like a regular bus stop in the city, with glass walls, a bench and a bus stop sign drilled on the top of it like a cherry on a cake. But no. The stop was just a jut on the road next to an intersection of five smaller roads. From Minho’s house it was about a five minute walk, and the further they walked the more kids Minho saw. When they reached the stop, there were at least ten other kids of different ages, standing in small groups. And more kept coming. </p><p> </p><p>Minho received curious glances from left and right. He didn't blame them. He was a bit… eye catching in the crowd you could say. In the city Minho’s sense of fashion wasn't anything too flamboyant but now, standing in this crowd of countryside kids made him feel like an odd one out.</p><p> </p><p>He had thought he had looked hot in the morning while giving a final glance on his outfit before leaving his room but now he was just… self conscious. The oversized leather jacket didn't feel like a top notch vintage thrift shop treasure but like a worn out tent he had stolen from some old man's closet. The cuffed baggy jeans just felt stupid. His combat boots and jingly necklaces made him feel like a goth. And he would barely even be classified as a skater boy in the city!</p><p> </p><p>What was happening to him? He was feeling bad about himself because of a group of fifth graders standing at a bus stop? He was really going through it wasn't he? Jisung and Changbin hadn't eyed him weirdly. Minho convinced himself that he didn't look that strange.</p><p> </p><p>Does most of the population of this school district live here or why is this stop so cramped up? Can we even fit into one bus? Minho thought while eyeing a group of middle school kids who were playing a smartphone game in a circle next to them.</p><p> </p><p>“Changbin! Jisung! Hi!” A girl walked towards the three of them. She was holding the hand of a younger girl, probably an elementary student. She was smiling widely and waving.</p><p> </p><p>“Oh, hi Yooa” Changbin greeted her back, not as enthusiastically.</p><p> </p><p>She smiled even wider: “Who’s your friend? Is he new? I didn't see him last Friday, you should totally introduce us”</p><p> </p><p>“This is Minho, he’s my new neighbour” Jisung did as told,smiling forcefully “Minho, this is Yooa. She’s a third year”</p><p> </p><p>“And a future student council president! Jisung, don't tell me you already forgot” the little girl was hiding behind Yooa’s leg, shyly glancing up at Minho, holding eye contact.</p><p> </p><p>“No of course not” Jisung smiled weakly and hurriedly changed the subject, “the bus is late. Hmm, I wonder why”</p><p> </p><p>“Deer on the road?” Changbin suggested, “wouldn’t be the first time”</p><p> </p><p>“So Minho, where are you from?” Yooa focused her sparkling wide smile on Minho.</p><p> </p><p>“From the City-” “Ooh! Must be weird to move here, you know, in the middle of nowhere, haha”</p><p> </p><p>“Yeah-” “Do you have snapchat or something? Insta? Twitter? Phone number? You can message me at any time if you ever need anything. I can also add you to the Poppyfield High group chat if you want” Yooa dug out her phone and offered it to Minho. He was pretty sure her smile hadn’t twitched even once.</p><p> </p><p>“Oh look! It's the high schoolers bus!” Jisung said and interrupted Yooa’s speech.</p><p> </p><p>The bus was indeed there. It wasn’t yellow like in American high school movies. It was a regular bus with the city’s logo and the school's name printed on the sides.</p><p> </p><p>Yooa tried to mumble something after them, but Jisung pushed Minho towards the bus. Minho was a bit shaken from the interaction with the… energetic girl, but forgot it rather quickly after stepping into the bus.</p><p> </p><p>Minho paid attention to how dark it was. The windows were shaded so not a lot of natural light came inside from them. The benches were dark red and had some kind of a yellow pattern in them. The bus was almost completely empty. A few people were sitting in the middle of the bus, talking loudly. Jisung and Changbin walked towards the back of the bus, but stopped their tracks. They didn't sit in the very back, but a couple rows away.</p><p> </p><p>Minho ended up sitting next to Changbin. Jisung had taken the two benches all for himself, laying his long legs sideways so that his back was pressed against the window. Today he had ripped black skinny jeans and instead of a dark purple hoodie he was wearing a white one with a jean jacket.</p><p> </p><p>It was hard to believe that it was still August. The morning air was so chilly. Back in the city Minho would’ve gone to school in just a t-shirt on. </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Minho found out that the high school had its own bus while elementary and middle school shared one. Since the schools had different ending and starting times, students living in different areas and were located in different parts of the town, they needed their own buses and bus routes. Their stop was one of the few stops the two schools shared. Minho was glad that he didn't need to share the bus with a bunch of middle schoolers.</p><p> </p><p>When Changbin finished his speech about the school bus and it's fun little quirks, the bus stopped again. Right under the window Minho was sitting at stood a few students their age. This stop too was barely a jut on the road. Minho could see a red farmhouse at the end of a long driveway across the field that started from right next to the stop.</p><p> </p><p>“Rosé! Wassup” Jisung said from his seat when a girl dressed in a pink floral dress walked towards them through the aisle. He reached out his hand to give a high five to her as she threw herself on the seat behind Jisung.</p><p> </p><p>Rosé was the same age as Minho and Changbin. She was nice, calm and really pretty. For some reason, she already knew Minho’s name. And that he was Jisungs neighbour. And she had followed him on instagram already.</p><p> </p><p>Changbin had turned to face him and whispered: “It's a small town. Word spreads fast”</p><p> </p><p>Minho nodded. The ten new followers he had accepted Saturday morning weren't just a coincidence after all. He hadn't even opened instagram after Saturday morning and if to believe Rosé the whole school had probably already sent him requests. </p><p> </p><p>According to Rosé Minho was now the talk of the town. A small celebrity. Changbin had rolled his eyes at that but Rosé seemed serious. It wasn't like new meat came to the town of Poppyfield everyday. Minho was a bit intimidated by the small town and even smaller school. Everyone knew each other. It wasn't like in the city where he had a bunch of classmates he had never talked with. Here people had known each other since kindergarten if not even before that. Minho didn't quite know how to blend into a world like that.</p><p> </p><p>During the ride Minho was introduced to Jaemin, Yerim, Tsuyu and Juyeon. It bothered Minho how everyone was so good looking but kept complimenting Minho for being super handsome. Minho knew he was above average. He didn't want to be cocky about it but he had accepted the fact that people found him attractive over the years. </p><p> </p><p>Back in the city he had been a catch. A prey for the girls in his school. That was one of the reasons he found getting to know people hard. He skated, played bass in a band, had a sense of fashion and was quiet and cold. Apparently he was a textbook bad boy. There were rumours about him. He’s in a gang. I heard he beat up five people at a party last week. His dad is in prison, I heard that he murdered someone. Isn't he a drug dealer?</p><p> </p><p>In the end Minho didn't really mind. He liked his mysterious fuck boy image. It kept people away from him. He never really even went to school anyways, the rumours hardly ever reached his ears. He was an outcast, but in a cool way.</p><p> </p><p>He didn't mind back then. He really didn't. But now? </p><p> </p><p>Minho looked at the people around him who were wrapped in a conversation about the upcoming school year. These people knew nothing about him. They saw Minho as a blank sheet just waiting to be filled. They all laughed together. Minho wanted to be part of that.</p><p> </p><p>Now, now he would mind. Minho didn't want to be alone anymore.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thank u for reading~~~!!! Kisses for you all mwah mwah &lt;333333 </p><p>i promise this will be the fic i finish. This will be the one. I am very determined to write this whole thing. Pinky promise?</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Blue Hue</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Jisung groaned and banged his head against Felix’s poor pillow. He was doing it again. Over analyzing. Over thinking. Overdoing it.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>All of Jisung’s friends were crazy about Minho. Everyone wanted to be his friend. He was cool. He was handsome. He smelled nice. He had a dashing smile. He was smart. He had a calm voice. He spoke with confidence, never stuttering or sounding stupid. Perfect pretty boy. Even Changbin admitted it. It was frustrating.</p>
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<p>Jisung stared at the ceiling fan in Felix’s room, lying paralyzed on the bed. His friend had gone to the bathroom a couple minutes ago. The ceiling fan was running at the speed of light and so were Jisungs thoughts. Minho Minho Minho Minho Minho. His mind had just been Minho for the past week. It was becoming unbearable. He didn't know how to act.</p>
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<p>Minho was weird. He wasn't anything like the picture Uni had painted in Jisungs head. </p>
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<p>Uni had described the boy as a complete mama’s boy. Minho was anything but that. </p>
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<p>Minho was quiet, confident, independent, very intimidating and… weird. There was something about him that Jisung just could quite wrap his mind around. It was the unexplainable emptiness Jisung could sometimes hear in his voice, see in his eyes. Sometimes Jisung felt like Minho wasn't really there, but instead there was a robot replacing him, talking and moving like all of it was perfectly coded beforehand. </p>
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<p>Jisung groaned and banged his head against Felix’s poor pillow. He was doing it again. Over analyzing. Over thinking. Overdoing it. He wished Chan was here, he would be able to help Jisung. He always understood Jisung and was able to help him sort his thoughts out. Minho was just so weird. </p>
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<p>It didn't help the situation at all that Felix was completely swoon over by the newcomer. Minho was exactly Felix’s type. When Jisung had introduced the two to each other on the first day of school he was quick to notice how Felix was staring at Minho for a bit too long and laughing at everything he said. Felix was just so painfully obvious about it. Jisung wasn’t sure if Minho had picked up on it yet. He desperately hoped that the boy hadn’t. As much as Jisung would like to trust in Minho, he couldn’t just exclude the fact that the boy might not be as accepting of all kinds of people.</p>
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<p>But Minho was from the city. People from large cities tend to be more open minded about things, right? At least more than people were here. In the middle of the countryside Felix and Jisung had to live in fear. It didn’t help at all that they were already considered as a bit of a pair of loners at school. If people found out that they were… Cold shivers ran up and down Jisung’s body. He didn't even want to think about it.</p>
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<p>Jisung had never even told Changbin. The guilt creeped up again. Jisung treated his sexuality as if it was a secret between him and Felix. Felix was the first person he had come out to. He didn't know how to tell Changbin about it. He knew that Changbin wouldn't… He wouldn't, right? No. Changbin would never. Changbin was open minded about these things. Of course Jisung would know, Changbin was his best friend. And on top of that Changbin constantly made jokes about… things. Like, teasing him about “acting a bit gay”. He sometimes said stuff that was a bit… homophobic but everyone said stuff like that. Even Jisung did sometimes, so he wouldn't seem different. Making stupid jokes didn't mean that Changbin wouldn’t support Jisung, right?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Jisung buried his face into his pillow. Why had it been so hard? He should be able to trust Changbin. Jisung did trust Changbin. But Jisung liked how things were. Jisung was afraid things would change. That everything would change.</p>
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<p>Minho was the start of that change Jisung feared for so much. Jisung just didn't know that yet.</p>
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<p>“You told Minho to bring a pair of rubberboots, right?” Jisung lifted his eyebrow at Changbin who was sitting next to him on the couch in the living room of Changbin’s family manor house. The other made his very well known oopsie face and dug his phone from somewhere deep the cushions.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It was a lovely Sunday morning. The air was humid from the storm that had swept over the town during Saturday and last night. Jisung had biked over at Changbins place after finishing up at the barn with his dad. He helped in the barn usually during the morning milkings and Jisoo helped during the night milkings. He’d wake up at five thirty in the morning, get dressed in his barn clothes, go to the barn with his dad and give the cows wheat and pellets while his dad handled inserting the milkers. It took about an hour in the barn each morning. After that he’d go to change his clothes to day clothes and then quickly ran downstairs to eat breakfast.</p>
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<p>Because of this his parents had raised his monthly allowance and didn't make him do the dishes or the laundry ever so often. Jisung liked the arrangement.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Changbin threw his phone next to him on the couch: “I told him now. He just sent me a message saying something came up and it’ll take them some time to come back from the church”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Neat” Jisung smacked his lips.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Changbin and Minho had turned out to be a quite dynamic duo to say the least. The two of them shared a similar sly sarcastic sense of humour, interest in skateboards and a history with nicotine addiction. The two of them acted so comfortably around each other that sometimes, just sometimes, Jisung felt a bit left out. He knew it was stupid. He has known Changbin for ages and sees him literally every day. He doesn't need to be the center of Changbins attention every single minute he breathes. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>However when Jisung noticed this left out feeling he started to feel guilty. Was this how Changbin felt after Jisung had befriended Felix? </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Felix had moved into the town two years ago after his mother and Chan’s dad got engaged. He had come to Jisung’s class and Jisung remembers how he wanted to be best friends with the boy the second he saw him for the first time. And then they became best friends. Jisung and Felix have always joked about this strange connection between them. They were born only a few hours apart, but funnily enough those hours were set in the last few hours of the 14th and the first hours of 15th. Because of this the two often joked about being twins separated at birth.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Changbin had always been a bit indifferent towards Felix. He was nice to him, of course, but Jisung couldn’t imagine the two of them spending time together. Alone. Just the thought of how awkward it would be made Jisung cringe. They never really hung out. Jisung would always be with Felix in school and with Changbin after school. They never spent time together as three. Now that the three of them went to the same school… things went surprisingly well. Mostly because Minho was there. A wave of guilt splashed over Jisung again. He was a horrible friend.</p>
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<p>Minho arrived an hour later, just a moment before the grandfather clock in the main hall of Changbins house struck twelve times, informing that it was midday.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Minho~!” Changbin shot up from the couch to go give the a bit sweaty looking boy a welcoming handshake, “You’re finally here! And as gorgeous as ever” Changbin added with a wink.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Minho rolled his eyes but ignored the comment. Instead he lifted his hand where he was holding a pair of green rubber boots that had seemingly gone through a long, tough life: “What the hell do I need the rubber boots for? It’s almost thirty degrees outside - my feet will melt!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“We are going out for a nice little walk. And of course you are perfectly free to walk around in the wild with some crocs on but because of the soggy soil and even soggier little snakes I’d suggest wearing the boots” Changbin said with his annoying posh voice.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Minho’s eyes grew wider and his body stiff: “...Snakes?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Oh man,” Changbin giggled after a short silence, “don't worry buddy, there aren’t any poisonous snakes around here. Only grass snakes. And those little sweetiepies are the cutest thing to ever exist”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Jisung sighed silently. Minho seemed to relax his shoulders, but his eyes remained unsure.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>It was unbearably hot. Walking across the verge of Changbin’s neighbour’s sheep pen was a suicide mission. Even the sheep stayed hidden in their shed. The soil wasn't as wet as Jisung had expected it to be. And thank the gods it wasn't. Absolutely nothing would've made this nice little walk any more nice and little than sloshing around ankle deep in the mud.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Minho kept on loudly complaining and bullying Changbin through the entire journey across the fields. Changbin attacked back with just as much might. Jisung kept giggling in front of the two whenever either of them said something actually funny as he led them towards the forestline. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Normally Jisung would skip across the fallows nearing the woods, but he came to the conclusion that the field would be way too moist for that. The longer way around the fallow required them to jump over a few deep and stinky brooks. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Watch and learn, cityboy,” Changbin smiled cheekly to Minho and made a few warm up moves when they reached the first brook, “this is how real cowboys jump”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>And, as you might expect, Changbin had lost his balance after landing on the other side and would’ve fallen into the muddy water if Jisung hadn’t saved his ass. Minho and Jisung laughed loudly at the embarrassed self proclaimed “Real Cowboy” and Minho jumped over the brook with ease.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Minho’s wholehearted laughter rang in the air. Jisung had never heard Minho laugh like that before.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>It didn't take them too long to reach the river. It was hidden deep in the forest, but Changbin and Jisung knew the path by heart from running back and forth the riverbank and Changbin’s house for as long as they remembered. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>The river itself wasn't too big. It flows slowly, the water almost standing still. Tall, old birches leaned over the river and some of the branches were halfway under the water. Jisung led the way towards his and Changbin’s favourite spot, a small crag with an old oak three right on top of it, nearing the edge.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“We used to come here all the time” Jisung explained, “this was our batcave”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Minho laughed and looked around with a happy glint in his eye. Changbin had sat on the edge, hanging his legs loose on top of the shallow water and Minho followed right after him. A faint feeling of deja vu hit the back of Jisungs head as he watched the backs of the two boys. Where had he seen this before? In a dream?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Ah, we should've brought something to eat” Changbin murmured and leaned down on the grass.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“We just ate”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“So? Don’t even try to deny a little sandwich and soda would hit it right now” Changbin dreamily stared at the sky, “I wouldn't mind staying here for the whole day”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Bin what about the tour” Jisung questioned his friend and squated next to his face.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Oh so it's a tour?” Minho asked, staring down at the stream underneath his feet, “I thought we were just on a nice little walk”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Same difference” Jisung rolled his eyes.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Yeah! We thought about showing you the most important spots. You know in a place like this to evolve from a stranger to an insider you need to know stuff like this, cityboy. You should be bowing in front of our mercy”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Minho laughed and mimicked Changbin with an annoying high pitched voice he knew Changbin hated, earning a - quite rough - smack from Changbin.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Hmm, should we head to the mill? It's close by,” Jisung suggested before the two started to actually wrestle on the grass. He really didn't want them to fall over the edge. Changbin gave Jisung a side eye stretched his arms behind his head, making no initiative to be leaving his spot anytime soon. Jisung sighed and dropped on the edge next to Changbin.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The three of them sat in silence. The trees protected them from the afternoon sun and the tame wind made the heat somewhat durable. Some birds flied in the woods on the other side of the river, making the branches of the trees shake. Sound of a motorbike going off somewhere far away in the distance echoed in the air. Jisung was enjoying the moment, it made him feel oddly nostalgic. When was the last time Jisung and CHangbin had just sat here? It had been ages. He missed this: more than he thought he had. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You two must’ve had a fun time growing up” Minho broke the silence.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Changbin snorted: “It sucks more than you’d think. It gets boring around here, especially when you’ve got no friend worth your time”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Shut up twerp,” Jisung slapped Changbin’s thigh and turned to Minho, “There are good and bad sides. Bad sides being living in the middle of nowhere with nothing else to do than running around and playing with sticks and rocks for seventeen years and good sides being like, pure air I guess”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“The stinky smell of literal bullshit is considered pure air?” Minho said with a disgusted face.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Come on! It's not that bad” Jisung objected.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Changbin laughed: “Oh so is a little odor of shit too much for you, princess? Give me a break”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Minho rolled his eyes and smirked.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“What was it like in the city then? I suspect it doesn't exactly smell like blossoms there either” Jisung challenged the boy who had gone silent.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Now that you mentioned… I kind of miss the feeling of gasoline and toxic gases in my lungs. Coughing all the time was fun” Jisung knew that Minho was being sarcastic but the thing with Minho’s sarcasm was that he didn't say it like sarcasm is supposed to. Not with a joking tone, but the exact same tone he used every time he opened his mouth. Changbin thought it was funny. Jisung found it annoying.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Come on~ The city can't be that bad!” Changbin whined and go up, “tell us about it”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Minho sighed annoyedly: “Loud, stinky, expensive, dirty, cramped… Do I need to go on?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You're so annoying. I meant good things!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You didn't give me much of those either, why should I?” Minho gave Changbin a side eye.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Because there aren’t any!” Changbin cried.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Exactly! Neither are there about the city!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“No way! What about like… not having to travel six kilometers to the nearest store? Or like, just walking around and seeing something else than corn fields?” Jisung resisted.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Well yeah but those things don't exclude the fact that there are literal rats roaming around everywhere. And i'm not talking about regular rats you can see tiptoeing around here. I'm talking about mutant rats. Rats that are cat sized! The bloodthirsty ones”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“We have bears,” Changbin muttered.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Oh please,” Minho tisked mockingly, “do those bears carry rabies?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>The tour continued to the old mill, which was - surprisingly - an old mill. It had been a popular hang out spot for older teens when Jisung and Changbin had been kids. Jisung remembers how his sisters used to go there with their boyfriends who had cars. The doors inside the mill used to be open so people would freely go inside when they pleased. There had even been an old couch there at some point. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>But then most of it burned down after a graduation party five or six years ago and the doors were sealed. No one really went there after that, except Changbin and Jisung of course. In their imaginary hero world the mill was always the villains hideout spot. The two of them used to run along the river to the old mill with no ceiling to battle against whatever evil force they had come up that day.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Next up was the kiosk. There was no real reason for the two of them to show the place for Minho, it worked as a pit stop of some sort while they were on their way towards the next place. Jisung faintly remembers Jimin buying him a lollipop from the kiosk when they had biked past it one time. The kiosk had been out of business for a decade but the building was there. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>The distances between the tour spots really started to feel in all of their legs. Changbin kept whining about the bikes they had left at his house. Walking on the graveled roads alongside fields and forests was exhausting, but Jisung noticed that he didn't really mind. When the conversation flew like a leaf in the wind the pain in Jisungs heels was forgotten.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The last spot they visited before returning back to their home street was the lake. Minho had been curious about the place. Jisung thought it must have been because people in school kept talking about it. The lake itself was nothing too special. Just a small lake with a beach. Most of the lakes and ponds around the area had a mud bottom, but this lake was sandy. The sand on the beach was soft and smooth and the water was somewhat clear. It was a popular place for people from the town to come to swim to during the summer. There were even changing cabins and a barbecue area built there by the municipality. The lake was also a popular place for the teens to come and have bonfire parties. Even now there were some people having a picnic on the grassier side of the beach.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Changbin and Jisung had excitedly gone wading into the cold water, leaving their shoes, socks and Minho abandoned on the sand. Minho had just stared at the two of them, eyebrows raised, when they started to splash each other with water. The sun was setting but the heat of the day hadn’t yet faded away.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Minho was about to say something. Jisung noticed him opening his mouth. However before the boy had even the chance to bully the two for looking like kids he was already wet.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Jisung made a victorious cheer. His aim had been perfect. The blue fabric of the t-shirt Minho was wearing was now a shade darker. Changbin laughed at him maliciously. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Minho looked like a wet little kitten. He had closed his eyes and wiped away the dripping water on his chin before slowly taking off his shoes while Jisung and Changbin were making loud ooh noises that seemed to just annoy Minho more. And then, before they even realized, Minho was in the water.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Jisung would have never expected Minho to be such a monster. Neither had Changbin. Minho moved like a mermaid serial killer as he splashed water all over both Changbin and Jisung who could barely form any kind of resistance before diving into the water.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>The four people were quietly staring at the loud completely soaked teens leaving the beach. A blue hue filled the air. The sun had settled down. Night time had come as the tree boys made their way towards home on the quiet dirt roads, barefeet. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Jisung was happy. A warm bubbling feeling in his chest made him want to do cartwheels. The way home was long and the three of them were tired but it all felt… euphoric. Changbins stupid jokes were even more stupid but Jisung couldn't help the tired laughs that left his mouth. His clothes were still damp and the wind was getting colder. It made him shiver a bit, but it just built the tension in his muscles more and more. Jisungs' sides hurt from laughing and the tiny rocks on the road made his feet itch but still he hoped he’d never reach home. That this road would go on forever.</p>
<p>Jisungs eyes met Minhos when it was the time for them to part ways. He tried but couldn't find the strange empty glint from Minho’s eyes he had paid attention to all week. Jisung could feel Minho’s genuine happiness. It was something Jisung had never seen or felt before. Something deep and hidden inside the back of Jisungs’ head told him this was something special. This was something he should remember forever, cherish as long as he could. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Before thinking about it twice he had already wrapped his arms around Minho. The hug was brief and after the realization of what he was doing had hit Jisung it had quickly become awkward. Jisung quickly shied away. Hugging was a boundary he had not settled yet with Minho. Jisung didn't know what to say. Changbin had seemingly not noticed the weird tension in the air, like he usually didn't. The shorty had thrown his hands up towards the sky and jumped over to Minho.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Aye bro c’mere~!” Changbin squealed and trapped Minho in a rib breaking hug, surprising both Minho and Jisung. Minho laughed and hugged Changbin back even tighter. Of course they’d make it into a wrestling match. Jisung thought and snorted, smiling at his two friends.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“See you tomorrow at the stop!” Jisung waved at Minho as he was walking away backwards from Uni’s driveway.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Sweet dreams Cityboy! Hope they’ll all be about me” Changbin blew Minho a kiss.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Minho waved and flipped Changbin off before disappearing behind the junipers. Jisung giggled, maybe he could hug Minho from now on just like Changbin.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You're blushing like hell,” Changbin elbowed Jisungs ribs, “was hugging the loverboy that exciting?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Jisung screeched and smacked Changbin’s shoulder before running home. Changbin didn't deserve a goodbye.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Lee Minho. He thought when he laid on his bed that night. I'm happy that we met.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I have a bad feeling I have to add slowburn in the tags.... This fic gonna be 100k :")</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Taking mental notes</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Minho had noticed how Changbin was some kind of an outsider in school.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Having friends was exhausting. It was time consuming and frustrating. Minho hadn’t had the proper time for his bass in </span>
  <em>
    <span>days. </span>
  </em>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>His new friends seemed to be very… active. Active on social media, active in after school activities, active in school and the list goes on. Just the thought of Felix’s tight daily schedule made Minho uncomfortably stressed. Minho could never do all the stuff that boy did every day with just six hours of sleep. Jisung and Changbin were also way too accomplished for Minho’s liking. The two hung out literally every day, and when they couldn’t they’d hang out with someone else. Well not Jisung necessarily, the blonde liked his alone time, but Changbin was a completely another case. Changbin was never listless. He always had plans for every single day of the week. Always someone to call to and see after school. Which, frankly, had surprised Minho. </span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Minho had noticed how Changbin was some kind of an outsider in school. None of Changbin’s and Minho’s classmates said more than a mere “hello” or a “how’s it going” to the boy before leaving him in the background as if he was some kind of a movie prop, an extra, a plant in the corner. It wasn't because anyone had a problem with Changbin. Everyone was friendly with each other per se: Changbin was just not part of their little circles.</span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Now, you might wonder </span>
  <em>
    <span>how</span>
  </em>
  <span>? How did Changbin have so many friends? Well, Minho had found out that Changbin didn't exactly enjoy company his age.</span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh come on! Of course you're an exception~” Changbin had pouted and snuggled against Minho’s shoulder after seeing the questioning look on his face. Minho had pushed him away with a scoff, accidentally making the other fall off his chair face first on the floor in the middle of their math class. The two of them earned a sour look from the teacher, Ms Woods, and amused giggles from their classmates.</span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Changbin’s best friend was a year younger than him and had of course been a grade lower than him. Just the fact that Changbin was always hanging out with an underclassman made him different. An easy target.</span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Changbin hadn’t directly said it out loud, but Minho is great at reading between the lines. It didn't need to be said for Minho to understand. The kids had purposefully left Changbin out from things in elementary school. The same kids had continued to laugh behind his back and not inviting him to birthday parties in middle school. And now those very same kids were sitting in the same classroom as Changbin, still continuing to give the boy a cold shoulder.</span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Pity. That's what Minho felt. Sympathy. Changbin had been bullied throughout his whole life. Minho wasn't sure if Changbin had realized it yet himself. It was never physical, never verbal, just… making Changbin feel like he wasn't a part of them. “I've just never clicked with anyone” Changbin explained, “Not like I clicked with Jisung and the guys”.</span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>The guys</span>
  </em>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>The guys were… how would Minho explain? A group of older guys who lived around the town. Most of them were around twenty, worked full time, hung out at each other’s houses instead of some crappy abandoned barns like the other kids, drove cars and motorbikes and did drugs. It hadn’t come as a shock to Minho that Changbin did, in fact, smoke weed. Changbin just had that vibe. Back in the city Minho knew a lot of people who did drugs. His bandmates did, the people in the parties he went to did, his classmates did. </span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Changbin told Minho they were good people. Cool dudes who understood him. Understood him in a way guys understand each other. Minho didn't question it. If Changbin wanted to spend his time watching sports and smoking pot to relax with a bunch of drunk and jobless countryside fuckboys four years older than him in the basement of a house one of their parents’ owned, Minho could not be anything but happy for him.</span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>“Jisung’s older brother introduced me to couple of his friends before he moved in the city,” </span>
  <em>
    <span>Jisung has an older brother? </span>
  </em>
  <span>Minho felt dizzy while he was trying to remember just exactly how many family members the blonde had. Changbin didn't seem to notice his distress and continued: “They liked me. Said something about me being mature for my age. And yeah, that's when it started”</span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Minho understood. Changbin had been lonely. He had felt unwanted and left out by his classmates for years and now there were these super cool older guys who wanted to befriend him. How could have he said no? Minho knew he shouldn't feel bad for his friend. Changbin seemed perfectly happy with how his life was. There was nothing to pity, nothing to worry about. </span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Changbin wasn't even alone at school anymore. Jisung was now a first year and spent his days under the same roof as Changbin, guaranteeing he wouldn't have to sit alone at lunch. And of course Changbin had Minho. Minho very much preferred Changbin over every single other person in their class.</span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Their classmates had noticed it. Noticed how Minho was hanging out with “them” and how he left everyone else hanging. They found it strange how the sexy stranger stuck to Changbin and declined every hanging out invite he had been given to. Minho felt how he was slowly losing his fame around the school. He was now one of “them”, one of the weirdos, Changbin’s friend. Minho couldn't say he didn't enjoy being finally left without as much attention, but he also couldn't deny he kind of missed the spotlight. He missed the way everyone blushed when he said just a few words to their direction.</span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Jisung waved at the two of them from the other side of the small cafeteria. He was sitting at their usual table by the windows. It was a table for four, just perfect for their little group. It amazed Minho how he had literally moved into this town just a few weeks ago but he already had his routines settled. Everything felt so familiar. It felt like instead of weeks it had been months, years, decades even. This place already felt more like a home the city had never been.</span>
</p><p><br/>
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  <span>“You play the bass?” Changbins eyes looked like plates when Minho plugged the amplifier chord into the schools’ bright orange electrical bass. It was their first actual music class, since the first one had been canceled last week.</span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah? Guitar and piano too. Have I not mentioned it before?” Minho tested the strings and cringed at the metallic sound that came from the amplifier. The quality of these things couldn't be any worse.</span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>“Dude, that's so cool!” a boy behind Changbin exclaimed, “I've never met anyone who plays that thing”</span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>It was Juyeon, one of the guys who took the same bus as Minho every morning. His loud squeal had attracted the attention of his other classmates who started to form a half-circle around Minho and the orange hideous little thing. They were oggling Minho like people oggled at a stupid little seal in a zoo. </span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Minho smiled halfly. It was the smile he knew everyone liked to see on his face. A bit shyly he explained that his dad had played it so he had picked it up at a young age. His little audience was making admiring noises when he told them about his band and how they had sometimes performed at school events. The girls made sympathetic sounds when Minho wistfully told them about hoe he had to drop the band. He scratched his neck and told them it wasn't a big deal. Minho knew it was a big deal for them. He enjoyed the way they were so eager to hear his songs and how they searched the bands instagram account to see some live clips. In just a few seconds Minho had climbed back up the social pyramid.</span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>“You cocky little shit,” Changbin murmured with a tambourine in his hand, “You do this shit on purpose right?”</span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Minho smirked but said nothing.</span>
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</p><p>
  <span>Apparently Jisung’s mysterious older brother Jihoon also played in a band. He played the drums and was super duper awesome at it - according to Jisung. He had gone to the city to study music and to become a professional musician. Jisung sparkled in the bright daylight while he was talking about him and how cool he was on stage and how he was going to become super famous someday.</span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>“He's like so good! He never misses a beat” Jisung jumped around the school’s front yard, “You two would totally get along. Oh, oh, oh! You two should play together sometime!”</span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Minho furrowed his eyebrows and smiled: “Isn’t he busy? With his studies in the city I mean”</span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well yeah I guess, but he’s coming to town for my birthday! I'll introduce you two then”</span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Birthday?</span>
  </em>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh yeah Jisung,” Changbin chirped next to Minho, “what are we doing on your birthday? Are we just hanging out at yours?”</span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>“Weren’t we supposed to go to the restaurant with our parents?” Felix asked and took a long sip from his water bottle. Minho got startled a bit, he hadn’t noticed Felix walking there right next to him. Changbin took a deep breath.</span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah! Mine and yours parents, my siblings, Chan and your grandma, just like last year. My mom was talking about going to the italian one this year though” Jisung calculated.</span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>“When is your birthday?” Minho lifted his eyebrow to Jisung.</span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Jisung smiled wide at Minho. It was Jisung’s odd smile. A smile that was a bit too wide and bright to be genuine but it still was… genuine. A happy smile with extra happy sprinkles on top? Minho didn't know how to explain it but this exact wide toothed grin had something weird about it. These days it was the only facial expression Jisung had shown Minho. It was fair to say Minho was a bit concerned. Was Jisung mad to him about something?</span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>“Next weekend! I mean not this week's weekend but the weekend after this weekend, on the 14th. Felix’s is the day after so we usually celebrate together”</span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>“...Really?” Minho furrowed his brows again, “You two are… one day apart?”</span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>“Four hours to be exact!” Felix beamed. “Yup, we are basically twins!” Jisung united and threw his arm around Felix’s neck, making the taller spill water onto his shirt.</span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Minho could see it. From the way the two talked to the way they wrote and walked…. Felix and Jisung were pretty much like replicas of each other. Minho guessed the old saying about becoming like the people you spend time with was indeed real and was very true in the case of the two. They were like siblings. More than Jisung was with his actual siblings.</span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>There were major differences though. Minho had a mental list of things that hugely separated the personalities of the two from each other. It wasn't like he actively took notes and watched how the two acted, but it was something he had just picked up during the time they had spent together.</span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p>
<ol>
<li><span>Felix is genuinely nice and friendly with everyone he meets. Jisung’s way of being nice was to be polite and timid.</span></li>
<li><span>Jisung is shy. Felix is far from it.</span></li>
<li><span>Jisung dresses like a low budget hype beast. Felix likes skinny jeans and flannels.</span></li>
<li><span>Felix loves sports, Jisung can't run a mile.</span></li>
<li><span>Jisung gets along with Changbin, Felix doesn't.</span></li>
<li><span>Felix loves to be seen and heard. Jisung is afraid to raise his hand during the class.</span></li>
<li><span>Jisung is weird.</span></li>
</ol><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Minho shook his head. Stupid list, why was he even thinking about stuff like this? Minho was the weird one. Jisung wasn't even weird. He was just...</span>
  <em>
    <span>weird. </span>
  </em>
  <span>In a good way. In an interesting way. Minho liked weird things. Minho liked it when he couldn't predict what would happen next. And Jisung gave him exactly that. One second he would be crying over the ice cream he had dropped on the ground and the next he’d be talking about how cool robots are and then he’d be pulling Minho by the arm to show him something and then he’d forget what he was supposed to show and go back to talking about robots and then he needed to pee and then he’d notice the ice cream again and start crying but this time he’d also talk about how a robot would never drop an ice cream because it has metal hands. All this in the bat of an eye.</span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Boredness was a feeling that had always lingered in the back of Minho’s head. It had made him feel uninterested in everything and think about how nothing would ever be amusing enough, but just seeing the chaos Jisung embodied was enough to amuse him for hours. Not to even talk about Changbin. Those two together… Minho had to sigh. And hide a smile.</span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Felix said his goodbyes before disappearing into the backseat of his mother's white BMW. The boy had practice right after school until late into the evening. Minho was so thankful his mother had never pressured him to continue in the basketball team. The life of an athlete wasn't glorious. At all.</span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Jisung and Changbin were talking about a new game Changbin had thought about buying. They were huddled next to each other at the bus stop, looking through some pictures on Changbins phone. It was a sunny day but the sun wasn't warm. Fall was coming. Minho could feel it in his bones. The wind wasn't nice and cool anymore, it was cold and it felt like a whiplash against Minho’s bare neck. </span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Minho sighed and opened his yellow monster. He had 57 cans already standing against the wall next to his mahogany closet. His room was becoming nice and cozy. The smell of sugary sweet fruity energy drinks, sweat and laundry digertant had filled up the entire space. Minho thought it smelt like home. Mom thought it smelt like McDonalds toilets.</span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Jisung and Changbin laughed loudly. Minho stared at a pair of squirrels running around in the grass, trying to find the nearest tree. The bus was running late. Again. Minho thought about the math homework he had to finish today. He sighed, should he just not do them? Changbin wouldn't do them either anyways. </span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Mom had worked from twelve to eleven p.m. for a week straight now. Or at least that’s what she says when she occasionally encounters Minho in the morning or when she calls him to ask if there’s anything in the fridge for him to eat. Minho knows what's going on. Mom had used this exact same story back in the city. </span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Minho also knows better than trying to talk about it. There isn't a reason to. There’s always something in the fridge. And if there isn't there is always Minhee right across the street with a pot of food and a generous smile on her face. Minho has nothing to complain about. </span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hello? Anyone home” Changbin poked Minho’s cheek playfully, “I asked if you wanted to come over?”</span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Minho nodded. He didn't take his eyes away from the grass.</span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Where was mom right now? Minho had no idea. The tower of the hospital his mom worked at could be seen from where Minho was standing. It was downhill from Minho’s school, secluded from the rest of the town. But Minho knew she wasn't there. Her car wouldn't be parked in the workers parking area. He could almost see her walking around the train station in the nearest town hovering around the ticket machine. She looked like she was about to-</span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Minho snapped from his thoughts. The bus was here. Minho almost dropped his half empty can of monster as Changbin nudged him with his elbow. Minho teared his eyes away from the grass. His eyes met a pair of other eyes. Dark brown and round. Filled with concern.</span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Jisung was looking straight at him. How long had he been staring at Minho? Why was he looking like that? How long had Minho been staring at the grass? Where were the squirrels?</span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Minho flashed his best rushed smile to Jisung and followed after Changbin who had disappeared into the bus with Rosé. The concern painted into Jisungs eyes had switched into confusion. Maybe it was better. For Minho at least.</span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>There was no need for Jisung to worry. There was nothing to worry about in the first place.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hahaha i hate filler chapters BUT we need the boring chapters to get to the exciting ones ;)))))</p><p> </p><p>Also i noticed some typos and spelling mistakes in the past two chapters (i dont do beta reading x0) sorry for those ill try to be a bit more linguistically correct in the future &lt;333</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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